Everton star Mykolenko makes same heartbreaking phone call daily to parents to make sure they’re still alive in Ukraine

EVERTON prima Vitaliy Mykolenko has opened up connected the heartbreaking regular telephone telephone helium makes to his parents backmost successful Ukraine.

The full-back, 25, is acceptable to beryllium successful enactment successful the final Merseyside derby astatine Goodison Park connected Wednesday night.

Before the crippled helium volition cheque successful with his parents, arsenic helium does each morning.

Mykolenko's dad, Sergei, and mum, Olesia, inactive unrecorded astatine their household location adjacent Kyiv successful war-torn Ukraine.

With Russia continuing to weaponry Ukraine, arsenic they person done since invading successful February 2022, Mykolenko makes definite to telephone his parents earlier heading to Everton's Finch Farm basal for training.

Speaking to the Mirror, helium said: "I ask, ‘Are you okay?’ Sometimes it is atrocious news, they couldn’t sleep, sometimes it is okay.

"It is hard for maine to beryllium present but harder for them due to the fact that they are there.

"They don’t cognize what tin hap this nighttime oregon the adjacent nighttime erstwhile they are dropping missiles and bombs astatine night. You ne'er know."

As a top-level jock and subordinate of the Ukraine nationalist team, Mykolenko continues to animate those backmost home.

Stars of different sports similar Elina Svitolina and Oleksandr Usyk person besides had an inspirational effect - with Mykolenko having met the latter.

He said: "I deliberation he’s the champion sportsman astatine the infinitesimal successful Ukraine, the champion boxer successful the world.

"He’s a bully guy. I spoke with him a fewer times erstwhile helium came to sojourn america with the nationalist team.

"He’s a precise calm guy, precise friendly. [You] tin inquire him everything, however helium prepares for the large fights, it’s absorbing to perceive to him astir however it is difficult.

"I cognize helium was connected the beforehand line, not galore times but much than once.

"You tin assistance the radical connected the beforehand enactment financially but sometimes it is amended to assistance mentally."

Mykolenko missed retired connected Everton's 2-0 FA Cup decision to Bournemouth implicit the weekend.

But brag David Moyes has confirmed that the left-back has returned to grooming and could beryllium backmost successful contention.

The Scot, 61, volition person to bash without Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Youssef Chermiti, Armando Broja, Dwight McNeil and Orel Mangala.